Dean inspected every inch of his figure in the tall mirror, checking for flaws. He was wearing the most expensive suit he'd ever spent money on, but it was worth it. The purple tie didn't look as silly on him as he'd been expecting, either. The flower on his suit matched the color of the tie. Castiel had insisted on purple. Black alone was too bland for his taste. Dean was fine with it. He wanted Castiel to be happy.

Someone knocked on the door. Sam poked his head into the hotel room. "Hey," he said. His glistening smile was wide and apparent. Dean had always felt Sam would be uncomfortable with the entire concept of Castiel and Dean getting married, but so far Sam had been relentlessly supportive.

"Hey," Dean echoed. "You clean up nice."

Sam was the best man, naturally. He and the other groomsmen—Kevin, Gabriel and Lucifer—differed from the groom by shirt color. While Dean had a white shirt on underneath the jacket of his suit, the others wore black shirts with white flowers.

"Thanks. You look nice, dude."

Dean grinned. "You mean it? The tie isn't too girly? Suit doesn't make me look fat or anything?"

Sam laughed. "You're joking, right?"

"Yeah, of course."

"You nervous?"

"A little." Dean let out a shaky breath, chuckling. "Not really sure why. Been looking forward to this for a long time."

Sam gave his brother a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Trust me, it's gonna be perfect."

It was going to be perfect, and Sam was going to see to that no matter what. Even the legalities were falling into place flawlessly. Balthazar had agreed to marry Castiel and Dean. There was nothing wrong with the act in his eyes. No worldly laws could hold the two apart. Gabriel had badly wanted to perform the ceremony, but as a renowned trickster, Castiel and Dean were both very hesitant to give him that sort of authority. It wasn't that Castiel didn't trust his brother. He'd just been more inclined to have Balthazar hold the ceremony.

Dean stretched his hands out. "My hands feel like they've been in a sauna for five hours."

"Relax, dude. It's gonna be great."

"Yeah, I know." Dean scratched his head carefully to avoid messing his hair up. "How is he? Have you seen him yet?"

"Pretty giddy, I'd say. Kind of an unusual sight."

"Giddy?" By his tone, Dean clearly agreed.

"Yeah. He's really excited."

They were at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado. Summer buzzed in a low heat outside. The ceremony wasn't until sundown, and it was taking place right on the lawn in front of the magnificent hotel. Chairs were set up for anyone who wished to view the ceremony. Dean wasn't expecting guests outside their tiny band of angels and humans. Was it the wedding he'd always dreamed of? Not exactly. He hadn't given much thought to a wedding of any sort growing up. But with Cas...he only wanted the best. What was best for Cas was best for Dean.

"Hey, Sammy, listen...I wanna thank you for being so cool with all this."

"Of course," Sam said, giving Dean a funny look. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I mean, let's be honest. You didn't really expect me to be marrying another guy, did you?"

Sam chuckled. "Knowing the role you've played with women over the years, not really. But with Castiel? Sure, I saw it coming a long time ago. A lot of people did. In fact, a while ago, Bobby and I were wondering why it was taking you so damn long to propose to him."

Dean chuckled. "Still, it means a lot to me." He smiled at the fond memory of the proposal. He'd summoned Castiel to the warehouse where they'd first "met", where Dean first encountered the angel who'd rescued him from hell. But the entire warehouse was alit with candles. REO Speedwagon steadily played from a portable speaker in the corner of the warehouse.

Castiel was shocked.

Dean grinned at him. "Hey, Cas."

"What is this?" Castiel asked, his eyes scanning the area then returning to Dean.

"Oh, this?" Dean said. He sauntered towards Castiel. He stretched his arms out, referring to the entire area. "This is where we first met. This is where I realized an angel had entered my life. This is where I first learned the man I would fall in love with was named Castiel, and even if I didn't know it back then, I'd give anything to spend the rest of my life with him."

Dean dipped his hand into the pocket of his leather jacket at the same time he dropped onto one knee. He withdrew a tiny box and opened it up for Castiel to see what was inside. A large silver ring, the material illuminated by the candlelight.

"And this is where I ask you to marry me."

Castiel's lips twitched. "Dean...this is so unexpected. I..." He shook his head, and finally gave into a smile. "You did all this for me?"

"Of course. Kinda realized nobody else can do what you do to me."

"That's so thoughtful. I don't know what to say."

"How about yes?"

Castiel nodded. "Yes. Of course, yes, Dean."

Dean lifted to his feet and gave Castiel a tender kiss. He felt a tear well in his eye and seep through the corner of his closed lid, careening down his cheek. Without breaking romantic form, he took Castiel's hand and gently slid the ring onto his finger. A perfect fit. One of many signs that this was meant to be, and everything was going to work perfectly. After the crap Dean had been through his entire life, he deserved to be happy. Castiel made him happy. And he was going to dedicate his life to doing the same for his angel.

"I'm gonna go check on things downstairs," Sam said. Dean's memory scattered like a thinning cloud. "You gonna be okay?"

"Yeah, definitely. Don't worry. I'm not gonna chicken out and bail."

Sam smiled. "I wouldn't expect you to, Dean."

Preparations were going well. Sam checked in on the managers outside, then the cooks in the kitchen who were preparing a classy dinner of steak, rice and vegetables. It wasn't a traditional wedding menu, but it's what Dean and Castiel had agreed on. It was hard arguing with that. A photographer was hired to take pictures all throughout the ceremony, but neither Dean nor Castiel wanted to pose for any pictures outside one or two. It would take too long, and Dean was more about enjoying the moment than posing in a photograph and pretending to do so.

Sam made a trip to Castiel's room next. The two had gotten a deluxe guest room as part of the hotel's wedding package, which was where Castiel was getting ready. To avoid seeing the groom before the wedding, a way of keeping tradition, Dean was stowed away in Sam's room, getting ready on his own.

Sam knocked on the door. There was not an immediate response. Sam knocked again. "Cas," he called. "It's Sam."

Finally the door opened. Castiel was dressed in his suit, also black but with a white shirt underneath and a black tie with his purple flower. He was distinct from both his groom and the groomsmen. He looked a little panicked.

"What's wrong?" Sam asked. He noticed Castiel was clenching a bridal magazine in his shaking hand.

"A lot, Sam. I'm missing a lot here."

"Hey, no problem. I can get you anything." Sam wasn't going to let anyone worry about anything. He let himself into the room. "What do you need?"

"A garter."

It made Sam crack up. "A garter?"

Castiel still looked concerned. "Yes. I need a garter to toss to the single men. That's what it says in here." Castiel held up the magazine.

"You don't need a garter per se, Cas. That's what brides wear on their leg. Seems like it would be uncomfortable for you."

"Dean's supposed to remove it with his teeth."

"If you want a garter, I can get you a garter." Sam opened up the magazine, flipping through the pages. "But, you see, it's easier for these girls because they're wearing dresses." He found a picture of an example. "If you wore one, Dean would have to take off your pants to get to it and throw it."

"Oh. Well, we might not want to do that in front of everyone."

Sam winced. "Yeah."

"But what about this list? It tells me I need four things with general requirements."

"What? Oh, something borrowed, something blue, something old, something new?"

"Yes."

"I don't think you need anything like that necessarily, Cas. It's just a fun wedding tradition."

"I want to follow all the traditions. I want this wedding to be perfect."

"The feeling's mutual in all of us. But it will be. I promise."

Castiel let out a long sigh. He stared down at the magazine. "It still surprises me that I feel this way. As an angel especially, I didn't know I could have so much love for a human."

Sam cracked a grin. It was rather amusing to hear Castiel talk like this. Even if he could never understand or relate to the feeling.

Castiel stared up at Sam. "There's nothing I wouldn't do for your brother, Sam. I'd give anything for him. I'd die for him."

"I know you would. And I know he feels the same."

"I do understand I'm not the most important thing in his life. You still hold that position, Sam. I respect that. So as Dean's husband and your brother-in-law, I'm going to look after you as he does. You're important to him, and to me."

"Thanks, Castiel."

Castiel lifted the magazine. "I need something blue. Do they mean the color, or the emotion?"

Sam laughed. "The color. I'll look around."

In the hotel lobby, Sam's phone buzzed. It was Bobby. He'd yet to arrive at the hotel.

"Hey, Bobby, where are you?" Sam answered.

"Sorry, Sam, I got caught up with something in Aurora."

Aurora? That was an hour and a half away from Estes Park. Even if Bobby hurried at this point, he would barely make it to the ceremony on time. "What are you doing there?"

"Got a call from a friend of mine. Fellow hunter. He's been investigating a job there for a month now. There's been a string of attacks lately with eerie similar results. You know those—"

"Bobby, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I can't focus on any kind of hunt right now."

"Alright, I get that, Sam. Don't worry. We won't let a job get in the way of your brother's wedding day."

The reminder of that fact set Sam in a bit of a whirr. Dean was getting married tonight. To Castiel. Even as head planner and best man, it still rattled him in an interesting, exhilarating way.

"Anyway, I'm just letting you know that's where I was, that's what I was doing, and I'm on my way up now. I am bringing him along, though. He's hoping we can help him out when the wedding is over."

"I'll be happy to."

"What about Dean?"

"I think they've got a honeymoon or something to get to."

Bobby clicked his tongue. "Right. I keep forgetting how different everything's going to be."

"Hey, I've gotta go hunt something blue down. I'll see you when you get here."

"I'll go as quick as I can, boy."

"Just don't wreck. We don't need that today."

"No promises. See you soon."

Close to sundown, Sam did another head count. Balthazar had arrived, as had Charlie, who had agreed to play the role of a flower girl. She was the only female with a role in the wedding party. The staff members were relentless in their questions, which wasn't as annoying as it could have been. Sam appreciated the fact that they wanted the ceremony to be as perfect as he did.

He checked out the lawn. It looked wonderful. Gabriel was standing nearby, munching on a chocolate bar. He was quick to bounce to Sam's side.

"How's it goin', kiddo?" he asked. He took a huge bite of the candy bar. "Everything running smoothly in the shop?"

"I think so, yeah. I had to swipe a blue hair feather from the gift shop to give to Castiel."

Gabriel howled laughing. "Oh man, I hope he wears it for the ceremony. Is that his 'something blue'?"

"Yeah. He insisted on having it all."

"He's aware that makes him the bride, right?"

"I think he's aware." Sam chuckled.

"So, who do you think would be the bride if we got hitched?" Gabriel squeezed Sam's elbow. "You or me?"

Sam was taken aback at the comment. Gabriel was blunt in his teasing. "Uh...well, that's probably not gonna be a thing."

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Man, don't you know me at all?" Gabriel winked.

Sam laughed nervously. "I guess not. Uh, I'm gonna go check on Dean. Can you make sure the other groomsmen are ready to go? We need to start soon."

"Sure, I can. Anything for you, Sammy."

Sam shuffled away from Gabriel, fully aware of the blush in his cheeks.

Lucifer watched from afar, then casually ambled towards Gabriel.

"Ah, there's one of us," Gabriel said. "Just gotta account for Balthazar, Charlie and the Asian kid, and we'll be all set."

"It's riveting, isn't it?" Lucifer asked, arms folded across his chest. Even in the swelling heat of a summer evening, he was perfectly comfortable in his black suit. "Watching our brother prepare for a wedding."

"Yeah, and to a human of all creatures," Gabriel snickered. "I think it's sweet."

"You don't see anything unusual about their circumstances?"

Gabriel arched an eyebrow. "What, that they're two guys? So what? It's legal now nationwide. Hater."

Lucifer rolled his eyes. "I meant an angel falling in love with a human. It just doesn't seem feasible, does it?"

"Sure, it does. Why not? I see it happen all the time."

"You think so? And have you ever had that experience yourself?"

Gabriel's bottom lip jutted out. "Not that I can recall, no."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Pretty darn."

"So your feelings for the other Winchester boy, they don't go beyond platonic?"

Gabriel narrowed his eyes at his brother. "Why do you ask? Are you threatened by the idea of someone moving in on your playmate? Lay off him, Lucy. The kid's been through enough."

"I think we have a bond at this point that nobody can really disrupt. Know what I mean?" Lucifer winked at Gabriel.

"I thought I made all the jokes around here." Gabriel offered a maniacal grin, then finished off his candy bar. Lucifer just rolled his eyes again.

Dean didn't fancy himself a writer. He hardly fancied himself a great talker, let alone one who could take words and string them together in a glorious fashion. Writing his vow for Castiel had been one of the hardest things he'd ever done in his life. He'd done a lot of research beforehand, ripping off lines from vows other couples had posted online from all across the country. He'd crammed each unique line together, and at last he thought he had it all down. He paced back and forth in his room, anxious to finally get out of here and see Castiel.

"I promise to be your lover, companion and friend. Your partner in parenthood. Your ally in conflict. Your greatest fan and your toughest adversary. Your comrade in adventure. Your student and your teacher. Your consolation in disappointment. Your accomplice in mischief. This is my sacred vow to you, my equal in all things. All things."

He repeated his vow over and over again aloud. He wanted to call Sam so badly and ask him for food. But Sam, bless his heart, was running all about the hotel trying to keep everything in order, while giving Dean the simple order of staying put. He couldn't disturb Sam.

Someone knocked on the door. He expected it to be Sam again. But there came a long pause, followed by another knock. If it were Sam, he would have used his room key to gain access by now. Dean approached the door and pressed his eye against the peephole.

It was Castiel. Dean's breath caught in his throat at the glimpse of his angel dressed so handsomely. "Dean?" Castiel called. "It's me."

"What about the tradition of not seeing each other before the wedding?" Dean asked through the door. What he really wanted was to throw tradition to hell, open the door up and embrace his love.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't wait any longer."

Good enough for me. Dean yanked the door open, and Castiel stepped into the room. He smiled softly at Dean.

"God, Cas, you are beautiful," Dean breathed. He drank in the sight of Castiel like a parched animal. The door fell closed behind him, and he took Castiel in a soft embrace, their lips brushing against each other. As far as Dean wanted to go with him, as badly as he wanted to push this into something harder and more passionate, he didn't want to destroy the suits before the wedding. He'd waited long enough at this point. He could wait a little longer.

"Thank you. As are you." Castiel kissed Dean's nose, then drew back a bit. "Sam was on the phone earlier with Bobby. Said something about a hunt."

"A hunt? Here?"

"No, not here. And not now. Sam's insisting he waits until after the wedding before he takes on the job."

"Whoa, whoa, is he talking by himself? Because that's not happening."

"My thoughts exactly. We need to be there for him."

"What about Key West?" Dean inquired.

"Trust me, we're still going. But Sam is your brother, and now he'll be my brother, too. I care about him. I want to see to his safety on this hunt, and all of them."

Dean smiled. "I love that you get that about me. Sam's my life. I can't ever leave the kid."

"He's not a kid, Dean, but he'll always need his brother. And you need him. Whether either of you want to admit it aloud or not. And we're family. That means we stick together."

"Have I ever mentioned how perfect you are?"

"Once or twice. Feel free to mention it again."

Dean grinned. He couldn't believe this perfect being was all his for eternity. "I love you, Castiel."

"I love you too, Dean. More than I thought I'd ever love anyone or anything."

Dean took him in another kiss. "You better go. Before Sam catches you breaking tradition."

"You're right. Oh, before I go, here." Castiel held out a tissue to Dean.

"What's this for?"

"The bridal magazine indicated it is a 'must-have' item on your wedding day." Castiel shrugged. "They're the experts, not me."

Dean laughed and tucked the tissue away in his pocket. "Thank you."

News spread fast around the hotel. Though nobody knew Castiel was an angel, the idea of a same-sex wedding intrigued a great deal of wedding guests. Upon discovering the ceremony was open to all who wished to attend, the seats filled up quickly. The staff was forced to gather up more chairs once every seat was taken and there were requests for more. As the sun began to set over the faraway mountains, the hotel's musicians began to play their traditional wedding music.

Balthazar walked down the aisle first, followed by Kevin, then Lucifer. Dean strolled down the aisle with his brother. His heart slammed against his ribcage. He hoped his anxiety wasn't evident as he walked in beat with the music. He stood in front of the row of groomsmen on a makeshift stage dragged outside from storage by the hotel staff.

There was clear confusion when a much older girl dropping flower petals from a basket on her arm. Charlie made her way to the front and gave Dean a quick rub on the arm as she took her place at the end of the stage.

The music changed, and the guests stood, knowing the drill. Dean was shocked when Castiel appeared at the end of the aisle, linking arms with a smiling older woman in a long yellow dress. He was supposed to walk down with Gabriel, Castiel's best man. Dean realized with a twitch in his lips the older woman was Gabriel. What the hell was he doing?

He gave a look to Sam, who just shrugged. Clearly he didn't know what Gabriel was up to, either. But Castiel looked happy. He seemed even more radiant now than he did just an hour ago when Dean saw him last. He looked so handsome, so gorgeous, and Dean was just as happy to see him out of that expensive suit as he was to watch his angel approach him wearing the sexy ensemble.

When Castiel and Dean met at the front, Gabriel leaned over and whispered into Dean's ear, "So nobody would mistake me for you."

"Ah," Dean said. That made sense, he supposed. It was clear by the positions on the stage that he was the groom, and Castiel was his partner, but he appreciated Gabriel's concern anyhow.

Gabriel gave Castiel a tight hug, then took a seat in the front row. He wasn't changing back to his regular figure for the ceremony. No doubt to avoid mass confusion and some panic.

Balthazar opened up the book in his hand and cleared his throat. "My name is...Bob, and I have the privilege of performing this ceremony today. On behalf of Dean Winchester and Castiel Novak, welcome and thank you for being here. They are thrilled that you are here today to share in their joy during this wonderful moment in their lives. By your presence, you celebrate with them the love they have discovered in each other, and you support their decision to commit themselves to one another for the rest of their lives.

"The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved, loved for ourselves. If there is anything better than being loved, it is loving. This evening, we are here to celebrate love. We come together to witness and proclaim the joining together of these two persons in marriage.

"God does not make a love that is wrong. This is the union of two individuals in heart, body, mind, and spirit. Therefore, marriage is not to be entered into lightly, but reverently, honestly, and deliberately. And it is into this union that Dean and Castiel come now to be joined."

The look of absolute bliss Castiel gave Dean through the entire welcome made Dean glean right back. He felt tears sting his eyes. At least he had Cas's tissue, just in case this got out of control. He worked to steady his breathing. He quietly cleared his throat.

Balthazar glanced down at his book. "Now a reading that express the sense of joy and love on this occasion. It is called 'To My Friend':

"'I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you. I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me. I love you because you have done more than any creed could have done to make me good, and more than any fate could have done to make me happy. You have done it without a touch, without a word, without a sign. You have done it by being yourself. Perhaps that is what being a friend means, after all.'

"Second, a reading from the Bible written by St. Paul who writes: 'Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs, but rejoices with the truth. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, love never gives up...three things remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.'"

This must not have been Balthazar's first ceremony. Either that, or he'd done extensive research in preparation for this evening. Whichever the case was, Dean was impressed.

Castiel's eyes darted from Balthazar to Dean, to his spiffy shoes, then back and forth again. His hands were clasped together in front of him. Occasionally his lips would purse, and lift into a smile. Dean noticed this happen whenever the two held each other in eye contact, or whenever Balthazar said something that Castiel could directly relate to, such as the passage in the poem about fate making them happy. He almost looked nervous. It wasn't like Castiel to be nervous. For whatever reason, that helped Dean relax a little. He held the same frame as Castiel, with his hands in the same position. He wanted to reach across and take Castiel's hand, but he refrained.

"And now, for the expression of intent." Balthazar faced Castiel first. "Castiel, you have chosen Dean to be your life partner. Will you love and respect him? Will you be honest with him always? Will you stand by him through whatever may come?"

"I will," Castiel vowed.

Balthazar turned to Dean next. "Dean, you have chosen Castiel to be your life partner. Will you love and respect him? Will you be honest with him always? Will you stand by him through what ever may come?"

"You bet I will," Dean said, grinning. This triggered some chuckles from the broad audience.

"And do you both promise to make the necessary adjustments in your personal lives in order that you may live in a harmonious relationship together?"

"We do," Dean and Castiel said in unison. God, Dean wanted him so much. He could hardly take the wait.

Sam was overwhelmed, there on the stage witnessing it all. He was so happy for Dean. He couldn't remember the last time he saw his brother so happy, if ever at all.

Balthazar extended his arms towards the crowd. "Now in the spirit of joy and affirmation, I want to ask your families and friends a question. Do you, the families and friends of Dean and Castiel, give them your blessing and support this day, wishing them a wonderful life together?"

Several calls of "Yes!" and "We do"s were scattered throughout the mass. One distinct shout of "Yeah, baby!" came from behind them. Gabriel, of course.

Dean felt stiff and sweaty in his suit, but he maintained his proper posture. He dreamed of a nice long shower with his angel. The most perfect way to kick off their first evening as husbands.

Balthazar went on, "Dean, Castiel, now we come to your vows. May I remind you that saying your vows are one thing, but nothing is more challenging than living them day-by-day. What you promise today must be renewed tomorrow and each day that stretches out before you. Will you now please face each other and hold hands, looking at each other."

Their hands practically lunged for each other. Both of them had been anxious to perform that action through the entire ceremony. "Castiel, will you please give your vows to Dean now."

Castiel looked Dean in the eye and said, "I believe in you, the person you will grow to be and the couple we will be together. With my whole heart, I take you as my husband, acknowledging and accepting your faults and strengths, as you do mine." His grip on Dean's hand tightened. "I promise to be faithful and supportive, and to always make our family's love and happiness my priority. I will be yours in plenty and in want, in sickness and in health, in failure and in triumph. I will dream with you, celebrate with you, and walk beside you through whatever our lives may bring. You are my person—my love and my life, today and always."

That did it for Dean. He couldn't help but chuckle as a tear escaped. He was quick to dab at it with the tissue Castiel had provided. The audience thought it was absolutely endearing.

"The tissue was my idea," Castiel spoke to the audience, getting some laughs of his own. He seemed proud of himself for the reaction.

Dean cleared his throat. "Wow." Hope my vow doesn't suck hard by comparison. How'd it go again?

"Dean, will you please give your vows to Castiel now."

"Yeah, no problem." More chuckles. Dean cleared his throat and tried not to get lost in Castiel's beautiful eyes as he pulled the vow from his memory.

"I promise to be your lover, companion and friend. Your partner in parenthood. Your ally in conflict. Your greatest fan and your..." His eyes flew to the sky as he sought out the next line. "Your toughest adversary," he remembered after a moment. He smiled sheepishly. Castiel was flattered. "Your comrade in adventure. Your student and your teacher. Your consolation in disappointment. Your accomplice in mischief." Dean rubbed Castiel's thumb with his own. "This is my sacred vow to you, my equal in all things. All things."

Phew. That could have gone worse.

"May I have the rings, please?" Balthazar requested.

Gabriel had responsibility of Castiel's ring to place on Dean's finger, and Sam had responsibility of Dean's for Castiel. Gabriel dipped between them to hand Balthazar the ring. "There ya go," he said. He grinned at the audience, yielding a small wave as he reclaimed his seat.

With a soft chuckle and shake of his head, Sam handed his ring to the angel as well.

"Castiel, place this ring upon Dean's hand and repeat after me."

Castiel struggled to get the ring onto Dean's finger for a moment. He looked triumphant when at last he got the piece of jewelry on.

"Dean, I give you this ring..."

"Dean, I give you this ring..." Castiel echoed, not breaking eye contact with his love.

"That you may wear it, as a symbol of the vows we have made this day."

"That you may wear it, as a symbol of the vows we have made this day."

"I pledge you my love, and respect, my laughter and my tears."

"I pledge you my love, and respect, my laughter and my tears."

"With all that I am, I honor you."

"With all that I am..." Castiel's voice cracked on the last word, and he sniffed. "I honor you."

Balthazar nodded, satisfied, then looked at Dean. "Dean, place this ring upon Castiel's hand and repeat after me. Castiel, I give you this ring..."

Dean repeated Balthazar's words as Castiel had done, meaning each one of them with all his heart. He didn't live for much in this world, but the man he loved the most, standing across from him, looking into his eyes in the same longing way Dean felt in himself? Definitely a reason to keep trekking through this miserable world.

"Now may those who wear these rings live in love all their days. Now may the love, which has brought you together, continue to grow and enrich your lives. May you continue to meet with courage any problems, which may arise to challenge you. May your relationship always be one of love and trust. May the happiness you share today be with you always. And may everything you have said and done here today become a living truth in your lives."

Oh my God, Balthazar, just let me kiss him, Dean mentally begged. Castiel, sensing Dean's thoughts, implied the same demand in his mind.

"Dean and Castiel, we have heard your promise to share your lives in marriage. We recognize and respect the covenant you have made here this day before God and each one of us as witnesses. Therefore in the honesty and sincerity of what you have said and done here today and by the power vested in me, it is my honor and delight to declare you married and partners in life...for life. You may seal your vows with a kiss."

"No freaking problem there," Dean said aloud. He leaned forward and pressed his lips against Castiel's. The crowd went wild like they were a band after performing a powerful encore. The groomsmen and Charlie cheered them on from the front.

Dean and Castiel broke the kiss to smile at each other.

"We did it," Dean said.

"We sure did," Castiel agreed. "Mind if I borrow that tissue?"

"Angels cry?" Dean teased, reaching for it in his pocket.

"Apparently I'm special. I cry, choke on words, and fall in love with perfect humans."

"I'm not perfect, babe."

"I still love you."

Dean grinned and kissed him again. The crowd burst into a fresh round of applause.

"Ladies and gentlemen, if you would like to attend our reception, it will be held in the ballroom of the hotel in about forty-five minutes. Unfortunately there will not be enough food to serve you all, as we need to have our wedding party served first and foremost. But I encourage you to visit the hotel's restaurant area and take part in their delicious meat servings."

Dean patted Balthazar's shoulder. The crowd began to disperse. "Nice work, man. And thank you."

"There's a first time for everything, I suppose," Balthazar laughed.

"Congratulations, Dean," Sam said, giving his brother a hug.

"Thanks, man. Hey, save me some pie, would ya?" Dean grabbed Castiel's arm. "Let's go."

"We'll be back, I think," Castiel said as Dean towed him away. Sam just laughed as he watched them go.

Gabriel, still in the form of an older woman, reached for Sam's arm. "Come on, sugar, walk me down the aisle next."

"You're not really my type, ma'am," Sam said.

"Oh? You prefer me in my natural masculine form?" Gabriel giggled. Sam turned away, his cheeks burning deep. Damn, how did Gabriel do that?

Bobby rolled up to Sam in his wheelchair in the banquet hall. Beside him stood a tall, thin man with curly brown hair and glasses.

"That was a beautiful ceremony," Bobby said. "I'm glad I didn't miss it."

"Me too," Sam said.

"Sam, this is Patrick. He's the guy I told you about earlier."

"Oh." Sam realized at once what Bobby meant. "Right. Nice to meet you, Patrick."

"Pleasure's mine, Sam," Patrick said, sounding much older than he appeared. "Couldn't agree more with Bobby. Beautiful service."

They sat around a special round table towards the front of the ballroom where potential eavesdroppers would have trouble hearing their conversation.

"So, what do you think we're dealing with?" Sam asked.

"At first I guessed vamp," Patrick said. "But the attacks have been inconsistent with known vampire attacks in the past. Any missing victims that are found are always alive. But the way they act once they're found, it's..." Patrick shook his head. "Unusual."

Patrick presented some photos from the latest crime scene. "They act completely apathetic. Uncaring. Unemotional to anything. Very unusual, given they'd just survived a kidnapping and God knows what else. Nothing anyone was willing to share. Almost like the energy had been completely drained away."

Sam blinked, confused at what creature was capable of that feat.

"And," Patrick said, tapping a finger on one of the pictures, "each victim had this symbol on their forehead. When asked if they knew what caused that, they all said the same thing: I dunno. That is, if they bothered to answer at all."

Sam studied the picture. The victim, a young girl, had a very distinct mark in the center of her forehead. It looked like an indentation in the shape of a thumb and faint gold in color. Anyone else might have guessed it was a weird birthmark, or perhaps overlooked it entirely. But no hunter would. Sam mentally turned the pages of his father's journal, wondering if he—or John—had ever seen that mark before.

"I'd never seen anything like it," Bobby commented.

"Well, I'll definitely look into it." Sam sighed. "Hate to take it on solo, but Dean and Castiel don't need this right now. Not as newlyweds. And it's not like we can put this off until they get back from Key West. Maybe we just take this one on ourselves and give them a little break. They'll have a lifetime of hunts together. Missing one won't hurt anyone."

"I don't see Dean agreeing to that."

"Which is why I won't tell him."

Bobby looked surprised. "I don't see him agreeing to that, either."

Sam shrugged a shoulder. "It's my choice. I want them to be together for a night without worrying about a damn hunt for once."

Bobby looked reluctant, but he nodded. "We can head out tonight after the reception."

"Sounds good."

Dean unlocked the door to the suite. He pushed Castiel against the wall and pressed deeply into his angel. As close as they were, Dean wanted to be even closer. He was anxious. He'd waited long enough. He gently removed the flower from Castiel's suit and set both flowers on the side table, then went after Castiel's suit jacket a little more aggressively. The incredible multitasker planted kisses along Castiel's sensitive neck and collarbone while pulling Castiel free from his ensemble.

"Wait, Dean," Castiel grunted with utmost reluctance. "There's something you should know. Sam plans to leave for the hunt tonight."

Dean pulled away, staring at Castiel. "Tonight? Crap. That's too soon." He ran his hand over his face, through his hair, no longer concerned with how good it looked. He'd fix it up again before the reception, which wasn't for another half hour or so.

"Do you want to join him?" Castiel quizzed.

Dean grimaced. "Yeah...and no, at the same time."

Castiel took Dean's hand. "He's your brother. We have eternity together."

"Right. Of course we do." Dean nodded. "You're right. Can't let him wander off by himself."

"So we'll leave with him?"

Dean looked around the beautiful guest room. They'd have to take advantage of it now if it wouldn't be used for its original purpose. "Yeah. But until then, let's just forget about it."

Dean pulled Castiel towards the bed. He was out of the top half of his suit quick. He straddled Castiel, stripping him of every piece of fine clothing. Their bodies pressed together like this, they were as close as physically possible, yet Dean wanted to be even closer somehow. He was in love. Plain and simple...yet complicated and dazzling like a puzzle with a missing piece. How'd this happen to him? How'd he get so lucky?

He decided not to question it. He lowered himself into Castiel gently and gave his new husband everything he had: his heart, body, mind, and soul. Till death parted them, as sworn and vowed.

The partners arrived right on time to the ceremony. They were dressed the same, with their flowers missing. Sam, standing on the stage of the ballroom, caught them approaching and spoke into the mic, "Ladies and gentlemen, I am honored to present to you, Dean and Castiel Winchester!"

The room burst into applause. Dean ate up the attention while Castiel still acted a bit bashful. Dean escorted Castiel to their table, with Bobby and Sam's unoccupied seat and a man Dean didn't recognize.

"Hey, who are you?" Dean asked, not rude but intrigued.

"This is Patrick," Bobby introduced. "Patrick, you know of Castiel and Dean by now."

"I sure do," Patrick said, extending a friendly hand. "Congratulations to you both. I can tell you will be very happy together."

"Damn right," Dean said, chuckling. He and Castiel took seats beside Bobby and Patrick. "So, what's all this I hear about a hunt?"

Sam tapped on the mic again. Bobby put a finger to his lips, indicating Sam was about to speak.

"I'm Sam, for those of you who don't have the honor of knowing me already."

Dean laughed out loud. He'd sounded an awful lot like...well, him, Dean, in that statement. He had more of an impact on his brother than he knew.

"I'm Dean's little brother. Well, brother, anyway, considering I've been towering over him since he was twelve."

The audience chuckled.

"Growing up, Dean was always my protector. My guardian. Our dad, he was...gone a lot. For work reasons. So Dean took charge of me, making sure I looked both ways before I crossed the street, I washed my hands before I ate, I didn't talk to strangers unless I was armed with a nine millimeter. You know, basic life lessons." Sam chuckled. Though he didn't get a positive response to the gun comment, everyone in his family knew the truth of the words. It wasn't a joke. "But Dean was always that one person I could look up to. The one I could count on, no matter how rough things got. He was my family. And he still is. Sure, I know how to hold my own hand while I cross the street, but Dean's always looking out for me, even to this day. We might be grown, but I'll always be his baby brother Sammy. And he'll always be my big brother. I love you, man, and I know that you'll look after Castiel and protect him just as you did for me. He's your family now, and mine. Ours. We're the Winchester brothers." Sam raised his glass of champagne. "Welcome to the family, Castiel."

The crowd clapped, and Dean touched the tissue to his eye again. God, was he a wreck today or what? He never cried, ever, and today he was erasing tears for the third time.

Gabriel caught up with Sam off the stage. He'd returned to his regular physique. "Beautiful speech, kiddo. Made me choke a couple times."

"Thanks," Sam said.

"I was wondering if I could go up there and speak on behalf of my brother."

Sam raised an eyebrow. Gabriel rolled his eyes.

"Oh, relax, Sam I Am. You think I'd do anything to ruin my brother's wedding day?"

Sam bit down on his lip. Maybe not. Maybe he should trust Gabriel. He was sounding sincere now. "Okay, sure," Sam said, gesturing towards the mic. Gabriel made a fist and punched the air in triumph. Sam was already regretting the decision as he watched Gabriel saunter up to the mic and tap it a couple of times.

"Oh, God," Dean muttered.

"Hey there, best man number dos here. Name's Gabriel. I'm Cassie's big brother." Gabriel launched a finger in Castiel's direction. "Much like Sam and Dean, we didn't have it easy growing up. 'Course, it was a house full of boys. Dad could barely keep us all under control. So he entrusted me with certain responsibilities, like making sure Castiel didn't fall down and scrape his knee, or do anything disrespectful, or fall from grace. Or, just lost it altogether." He smiled grimly.

Castiel's mouth hung open. Dean's chair scraped against the wooden floor as he rose from his seat, infuriated at the comment, but Gabriel put up a hand. His expression sank into a more serious manner.

"But that was back then. That was before Castiel met Dean. And I've known from the start that these two were meant for each other. That they belong together. Dean can protect Castiel in ways that even I can't. Castiel can love Dean in a way that nobody has ever loved another man before. Castiel might have made some mistakes in the past. Sure, he's not perfect. But he's worthy of every ounce of love that Dean has to offer. And Dean might be a mess in his own way, but it doesn't stand in the way. What we have here are two perfectly flawed beings that destiny brought together for a damn good reason. They complete each other. They need each other. So I'd like to raise this glass and pledge my full loyalty, support and undying satisfaction in the love that Dean and Castiel have found in each other. And I only pray that I'm lucky enough to one day find my own Winchester." Gabriel winked at Sam, who flushed and cleared his throat.

The audience clapped. Gabriel bowed, then made his way off the stage.

"That could have been way worse," Dean said.

Castiel looked touched at Gabriel's words. His eyes were misty. Dean rubbed Castiel's shoulder.

Sam returned to the table. "That said, you're up, Dean."

Dean straightened his tie and stood up.

"Where are you going?" Castiel inquired.

"Don't worry about it," Dean said. He crossed the grand ballroom floor towards the stage. Sam reclaimed his seat. He was grinning. Castiel wondered what the two were up to.

"Sorry to keep interrupting your dinner—which is pretty freaking delicious, by the way," Dean began into the microphone. "But I had a special surprise planned for my husband. Castiel, you better know how much I love you after this. I wouldn't do this for just anyone."

Dean nodded towards Charlie, who pressed a button on a laptop plugged in across the room. An Aerosmith song that Castiel immediately recognized bursted through the speakers. Dean looked giddy but terrified. His eyes fluttered from the audience and back down again until the lyrics began. Then he looked up and sang, terribly but sincerely.

"I'm alone, yeah, I don't know if I can face the night. I'm in tears, and the cryin' that I do is for you. I want your love, let's break the walls between us. Don't make it tough, I'll put away my pride. Enough's enough, I've suffered and I've seen the light..."

Dean's voice was shaky and broke on nearly every word he put force on. He didn't seem to care; he was smiling throughout. Castiel certainly didn't care, either. He was already weeping with absolute joy before Dean got to the chorus.

"Baby, you're my angel, come and save me tonight. You're my angel, come and make it alright."

Sam was recording the performance on his phone, an action that might have gotten him slapped initially, but he knew Castiel and Dean would treasure the video in time.

"Don't know what I'm gonna do about this feeling inside. Yes it's true, loneliness took me for a ride. Without your love, I'm nothing but a beggar. Without your love, a dog without a bone. What can I do? I'm sleepin' in this bed alone..."

Dean entered another powerful chorus. The longer he sang, the better he sounded, confidence powering his deep voice. Castiel's cheeks were hurting, he was smiling so big. Bobby was loving the performance. It was just as entertaining as it was endearing.

"You're the reason I live, you're the reason I die. You're the reason I give when I break down and cry. Don't need no reason why..."

Dean finished the song with the chorus again. The audience was enjoying themselves, and not one of them understood how much the song meant to Dean, singing about his literal angel.

The entire ballroom exploded with applause as he took a breath and released it, finishing the song. He took a couple of bows, now seeming a bit shy. It wasn't like Dean to be shy. But he'd done a fantastic job, and Castiel's heart was blossoming with more love than ever.

He met Dean with a kiss back at their table. They sure knew how to keep the people satisfied.

Lucifer glanced over at Gabriel. "Are you crying?" he said—almost accusing.

"Of course not!" Gabriel said, laughing. "It's just really dry in here."

A little while later, the couple cut their cake. Dean and Castiel fed each other a slice. Castiel wiped some frosting onto his finger and dabbed it on Dean's nose. Dean shot him a teasing look, then took a scoop of frosting and wiped it over Castiel's lips. He helped himself to that frosting, kissing it off.

Dean felt a tapping on his shoulder. He spun around, and Gabriel shoved a piece of cake into Dean's face. He grinned and, as the audience laughed at his trickery, bowed in a "ta-da!" stance. Sam was howling in laughter. Even Castiel got a chuckle out of it.

"Son of a bitch," Dean said, laughing as he ran a finger over his face, collecting a good amount to fling back at Gabriel. "Come here, you damn trickster!" The subtle name went unheard as Gabriel fled from Dean. Dean took aim and hurled the glob in Gabriel's direction. Gabriel ducked behind Sam, and the frosting ended up smacking Sam right on the cheek.

Dean put a fist over his face and chuckled, feeling bad but still pretty damn amused. "I'm so sorry," he said through laughter.

Sam just grinned. "You're lucky it's your wedding day."

Gabriel reached over and pressed his finger into Sam's cheek, dragging it across the skin and licking the frosting off his finger after pulling away. He beamed at Sam, who just chuckled. At that point, he didn't even care if Gabriel knew how badly he was blushing. No doubt it was the reaction Gabriel was after the entire time.

Their first dance was back in the ballroom, to Firehouse's "When I Look Into Your Eyes." It was a song Castiel heard on the classic rock station one day, and he'd mentioned how much the song related to him when he looked into Dean's eyes. Dean had committed the song to memory and wanted to fit it into his wedding somehow. And they had.

"Would you like to dance?" It was an attractive brunette woman who'd asked Sam the question, tall and busty with a shimmery purple dress. Sam didn't recall seeing her anywhere before or during the wedding, or at any point during the ceremony.

Then he realized why he hadn't seen her anywhere. It was Gabriel in disguise again.

"Gabriel..." Sam groaned, but Gabriel put a manicured hand on Sam's shoulder.

"Come on, Sammy. I know you want to. Plus, I changed into this..." He gestured dramatically at his beautiful form. "...so it would look better to everyone. Dean might have the hots for an angel, but it's fine if you don't want anyone else to know you do, too. And I know it would make you more comfortable."

He was spot on with his points. Sam wondered if Gabriel was aware of just how much. "Well...okay, then. One dance. After this."

"Of course. We can't be butting into Dean and Castiel's moment." Gabriel stood so close to Sam that Sam could feel heat protruding from her—his—bare skin. They watched Dean and Castiel dance together, neither knowing exactly how to dance but both of them caring far too much about each other to worry about proper dance steps.

The song faded, and Castiel and Dean hugged. The remaining audience, which had decreased significantly over the hour, clapped for them.

The next song from Charlie's laptop was "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go." Sam rolled his eyes, but he had to laugh. Charlie and Dean had very similar musical tastes. Either that or she'd put together this customized playlist just for him. Dean and Castiel couldn't resist dancing to this one, too. Sam and Gabriel were joined by other couples on the dance floor.

Somehow, it didn't feel weird or wrong in any way. Perhaps it was because, to everyone else, Sam was dancing with a beautiful woman. That fact didn't seem to matter to him at all. Gabriel could have been in almost any form, and Sam felt he would have been comfortable dancing with him nevertheless. What was this strange turn in emotions? Was it possible...

He didn't ponder it. He enjoyed his dance with "Gabriella", and he was almost disappointed when it was over. Gabriel kissed Sam's hand after he dipped "her".

"You're not too shabby of a dancer, kid," Gabriel complimented.

"Neither are you."

"Hey, we need to talk," Dean said, approaching Sam. He looked over Sam's gorgeous dance partner once, then gave Sam a bewildered expression with a dash of impressed.

"Hey there, Dean-O." When Gabriel winked, Dean caught onto the act. The impression dissolved; sheer confusion took its place.

Gabriel linked arms with Sam and said, "I was just telling your brother how good of a dancer he is. He certainly knows how to move that body."

"Okay, let's go talk!" Sam cried. He grabbed Dean's arm and led him and Castiel back to the table. Gabriel watched them, grinning all the while. Lucifer watched him, feeling a little resentful.

"Okay, what is all this I'm hearing about a hunt?" Dean asked at the safety of the table.

"Nothing," Sam stated, but Dean was firm.

"Tell me, Sammy. We've already agreed to take this on with you tonight. You didn't think you could just slip away and take care of this on your own, did you?"

Sam knitted his brows. "No. I'd be with Bobby and Patrick."

"Yeah, and without us. Not happening."

"Dean, it's your—"

Dean put up a hand. "I don't care. We're going with you."

"It's true," Castiel said. "We want to. Putting off the honeymoon for a day or two isn't going to suck too hard. We want to help you."

Sam gave into the persisting kindness of his brother—brothers. "Okay. Patrick here believes he's come across a creature that's right up our alley," Sam explained. "Not quite a vampire, but something that seems to suck life away regardless." Sam showed Castiel and Dean the pictures Patrick had provided.

Castiel's eyes narrowed at the female victim. "I've seen that symbol before."

"You have?" Sam and Dean asked in unison.

"Yes..." Castiel closed his eyes, and then they snapped open again at his recollection. "These are the markings of vitacruors, which translates to 'life blood.' Psychic vampires. They feed off the life force of their victims instead of sucking their blood."

"That's a little creepy," Sam said.
"Welcome to our world, Sammy," Dean said.

"And you see how this symbol looks like a thumbprint? That's because it is a thumbprint. That's how they drain the life out—they press their thumb against the victim's forehead and just...pull."

"So you think Aurora has a vitacruor infestation?" Bobby asked.

"Yes."

"Son of a bitch." Bobby rubbed the skin between his eyes.

"How'd you know about them, Cas?" Dean inquired.

"I've done my own research on supernatural creatures. I've peeked through your father's journal several times before. All in preparation for taking on the full life of a hunter."

Dean looked stunned. "You keep finding ways to blow my mind, Cas."

Castiel beamed. "You're my family, Dean, and this is what we do. Now I say we get down to Aurora and hunt us down some sons of a bitch."

Dean grinned. "That's my Cas."

He couldn't believe the wedding was over, the ceremony nearing its end already. He was glad to be married to Castiel at long last, but months and months of planning, anxiety, stress and exhilaration had all come down to a few hours in a single evening, and now it was over. But where this celebration ended, more was to come. Dean was ready to take on the world, anything in Heaven or hell, with his loving angel at his side.